Invalid-sling



PATENTED JAN. 5, 1904. P. W. ATKINSON.

INVALID SLING.

4 APPLIGATION FILED JUNE 22, 1903. NO MODEL.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED STATES Patented January 5, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

INVALID-SLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 749,014, dated January 5, 1904.

Application filed June 22, 1903. Serial No. 162,565. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, PERRY W. ATKINSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Troy Center, in the county of Walworth, State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Invalid-Slings; and I do hereby declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to whichit appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to slings for supporting a person above a bed while. the bedding is being manipulated or changed, the object of the invention being to provide a simple and convenient arrangement which may be attached to the ordinary bedstead, which may be easily and quickly set up and taken down, and which when out of active position will be entirely out of way.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be understood from the following description.

In the drawings forming a portion of this specification and in which like numerals of reference indicate similar parts in the several views, Figure 1 is a side elevation showing a bedstead equipped with the present invention. Fig. 2 is a transverse section on line 2 2 of Fig. 1, illustrating the retaining-pawls with their cooperating ratchet-wheels. Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the apparatus removed from the bed. Fig. is'a View similar to Fig. 2, with the uprights in the positions that they occupy when not in use.

Referring now to the drawings, the present apparatus comprises a frame including uprights each consisting of upper and lower members 5 and 6, which are hinged together at 7, so that the upper members may fold downwardly in one direction against the members 6 and will be held against move-' ment out of alinement in the opposite direction. These uprights are connected in pairs by means of braces 8 and 9, which connect the lower sections thereof and additional braces 10 and 11, which connect the upper sections. In practice a pair of uprights is arranged against the outer face of each siderail 12 of a bedstead, in which positions they are held by the clamping-hooks 13 and 14, which are connected to the members 6, so that they may be engaged over the upper and lower stead receiving the trunnions 14 of a roller 15, the trunnion at one end of each of the rollers projecting beyond the uprights and having a crank 16, through the medium of which the roller may be rotated.

Asling 17 is provided consisting of leather, canvas, or other suitable material, the ends of the sling being attached to the rollers, so that the latter may be rotated to wind the sling thereon or to unwind it to stretch the sling tight across and above the bedstead or to lower the sling to rest upon the bed. As the sling is wound upon the rollers, the latterare held against return rotation by means of pawls 17, one of which is pivoted to an upright at each side of the bedstead in position to engage a ratchet-wheel 18 upon the adjacent drum and prevent rotation thereof in one direction while permitting rotation in the other. Transversely of the upper side of the sling are secured pairs of spaced strips 19, which are adapted to receive loosely between them the bars 20, which are disposed upon the sling and project at opposite sides of the latter, said bars being connected at their ends by the sheets 21 of leather, fabric, or other suitable material.

In the use of the sling the upper sections 5 of the uprights are swung into position to aline with the lower section, the sling having been slipped beneath a person occupying the bed, after which the trunnions of the rollers are engaged in the bearings of the uprights. The rails 19 are then laid at the sides of the patient, and the fabrics 21 are slipped under the head and feet of the patient, after which the rollers are rotated to wind the fabric thereon and raise the patient from the bed, the pawl-and-ratchet mechanisms holding the fabric or sling to support the patient while the bedding is manipulated. After the manipulation of the bedding is finished the patient may be lowered onto the bed by permitting the rollers to rotate in the opposite directions, after which the head and foot rests and then the sling may be drawn from under the patient, the rollers being removed from the uprights and the upper sections thereof folded against the lower sections.

It will be understood that in practice modifications of the specific construction shown may be made and that any suitable materials and proportions may be used for the various parts without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is-- 1. A device of the class described comprising uprights connected in pairs and each including upper and lower sections adapted to fold one upon the other or to stand in alinement, rollers removably journaled at the upper ends of the uprights and having means for rotating them, means for holding the rollers against rotation in one direction, and a sling attached at its ends to the rollers and adapted to be wound thereon.

2. A device of the class described, comprising asling, rods disposed removably upon the sling, means for holding the rods against displacement longitudinally of the sling, head and foot supports at the ends of the rods, and a supporting-frame for the sling.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

PERRY W. ATKINSON.

Witnesses:

EDWARD B. ROHLEDER, GEO. E. SCHWARTZ. 

